News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The city of Algood approved the first reading of a new ordinance that redefines single family residential units.
The redefinition would update code to reflect specifics regarding the locations and requirements that new tiny homes and manufactured homes would need to meet. Building inspector Bob Lane said the redefinition came from a desire to protect the value of other homeowners.
“So we have designated an area in Algood in the R-3 zone for a tiny house,” Lane said. “And so that will be a cluster of them if somebody decides to do that now they won’t be spread across and maybe devalue someone else’s property. That was the concern.”
City Administrator Keith Morrison said the conditions would include items such as the unit must be in good condition and have the appearance of site-built housing. Lane will compile a comprehensive list of specifications prior to the second reading.
Lane said while there has not been an influx of requests to build them, the market for tiny homes is growing in popularity due to housing costs. He said they want to get ahead of the potential future need for such specifications.
“Now just an ordinary little house costs $250,000,” Lane said. “That’s beyond a lot of people’s range for say just a 1,500 square-foot house. So that’s why the tiny house market has flourished. It’s an alternative. You can go out there $50.000 or $60,000, it’s very small, but you’re out of the weather, it’s shelter. And I understand there’s a need. But it also ain’t fair to take that $250,000 man’s home and turn it into a $100,000 home.”
Council member Ron Graves asked if this would change now allow single-wide mobile homes in the city limits. Lane said that those are currently prohibited outside a mobile home park. He said that such existing homes are damaged, state law dictates they have approximately six months to replace or rebuild.
In other business, city council also approved two new zoning classifications. One zoning classification changes a 2-acre plot from R-1 low density residential to I-1 Light Industrial. City Administrator said that there was another rezoning last year, and the rezoning of this 2.08-acre lot off Burton Branch Road will clean up the zoning. The other change in zoning classification comes from a property off of Cooper Road from Low-Density Residential to General Commercial. Morrison said that this came at the rezoning of the property owner. He said that there has been interested in business development for that property, and rezoning could ease that process.
The city council also unanimously voted to accept the new certified tax rate as received from the state at $0.3623. Morrison said that this rate is a decreased rate of about eight cents from before the property assessment this year.
